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Morocco, layer by layer

Before Islam: Phoenicians, Mauretania and Rome

Olive presses, mosaics and a triumphal arch in open farmland: the far western edge of the Roman world is a morning's drive from Fes.

Phoenician traders, and later Carthage, came to this coast from about the 8th century BC. Lixus, on a hill above the Loukkos river near Larache, is one of the oldest sites in Morocco; on the island off Mogador (Essaouira), archaeologists have found Phoenician pottery from the 7th century BC. Exact founding dates are not known.

Inland ruled the Amazigh kingdom of Mauretania. Its king Juba II, educated in Rome, and his wife Cleopatra Selene, daughter of Cleopatra and Mark Antony, made it a centre of learning. In AD 40 Rome annexed it as the province of Mauretania Tingitana, with Tingis (Tangier) as its capital.

Volubilis was its great inland town: an Amazigh and Punic town before it was Roman, it has a basilica, a capitol, a triumphal arch built for Caracalla and houses with mosaic floors still in place. Rome withdrew from the interior around the 280s, but Latin-speaking Christians lived on there, and in 788 Idris I was welcomed there. UNESCO lists it since 1997.

In Rabat, the Chellah keeps the ruins of Roman Sala next to the Marinid necropolis of the 14th century, with storks nesting on the minaret.

Where to see it today

  • VolubilisAbout 30 km north of Meknes

    Mosaics of Orpheus, Bacchus and the labours of Hercules in the houses along the main street. Little shade: go early or late.

  • Moulay Idriss ZerhounAbove Volubilis

    The holy town of Idris I is a few kilometres away; combine them in one trip.

  • LixusNear Larache, north coast

    Terraces of a Phoenician and Roman town above the river, quieter than Volubilis.

  • The ChellahRabat

    Roman Sala and the Marinid tombs in one walled garden. Reopened in 2024 after restoration; 09:00 to 18:00 from October to March, to 20:00 from April to September, to 16:00 in Ramadan (official site).

  • Archaeology in RabatRabat

    Bronzes from Volubilis are kept in Rabat's national museum of history and civilisations.

Opening hours and tickets change; we list them only where an official source states them. Ask at your riad the day before.

One route that strings it together

  1. Rabat

    The Chellah first, Roman Sala and its Marinid tombs.

  2. Meknes

    An imperial city of the 17th century, base for the ruins.

  3. Volubilis and Moulay Idriss

    A half day: the Roman town, then lunch in the holy town above it.

  4. Fes

    Finish in the medina the Idrisids founded.

What visitors say

  • A travelling couple were amazed by the mosaics of the House of Orpheus; their advice is to go early with water and a hat, and agree a guide's fee before you start, after theirs argued over the tip. Travel Addicts
Sources, checked 2026-11-14
  1. Britannica, Juba II
  2. UNESCO, Archaeological Site of Volubilis
  3. Volubilis (Wikipedia, with references)
  4. Lixus, near Larache (Wikipedia, with references)
  5. Mogador island: Phoenician trading post (Wikipedia, with references)
  6. Chellah, Rabat (Wikipedia, with references)
  7. Chellah, official site: opening hours
  8. History of Morocco (Wikipedia, with references)

The other layers

The Amazigh heritageTamazight and Tifinagh, kasbahs and ksour, rugs, ImilchilThe Arab-Islamic heritageAl-Qarawiyyin, Moulay Idriss, the madrasas, the Koutoubia, Hassan IIThe Andalusian heritageFes, Tetouan, Chefchaouen, Rabat and al-Ala musicThe Jewish and Hebrew heritageMellahs, synagogues and cemeteries in Fes, Marrakech and Essaouira; Bayt DakiraThe Portuguese and European heritageEl Jadida's cistern, Essaouira's ramparts, Asilah, Tangier's international yearsThe African and Saharan heritageThe Gnawa, the caravan routes, Sijilmasa, the Hassani southWorld Heritage SitesNine sites on the map

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